EU's common asylum system must be realized by the end of 2012. But the financial crisis and increasing pressure on the already inadequate asylum systems in southern Europe threatens the implementation of the common objectives.

European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), the umbrella organization of 70 European NGOs, has submitted its recommendations to the Danish Presidency. The recommendations emphasize the need of Danish leadership in relation to the adoption and implementation of common asylum standards across the EU - Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

"It is crucial that the legal framework is in place. But at the same time we are witnessing a combination of financial crisis and increasing pressure on the Southern European asylum systems, especially in Greece and Italy, receiving a disproportionate number of migrants and asylum seekers - that is the political reality the Danish Presidency will be facing, "says Chairman of ECRE and General Secretary of the Danish Refugee Council, Andreas Kamm and continues: "A common asylum system requires not only common legislation but also a common willingness to comply with this legislation, and effective asylum systems that can implement them in practice."

An example of the lack of implementation of common standards is the so-called Dublin Regulation, which means that asylum seekers can be returned to the first EU country they are registered in. The Dublin regulation was introduced to ensure that asylum seekers do not submit an asylum application in several EU countries. The European Court of Human Rights and the European Court of Justice stated in two principal verdicts that returns through the Dublin Regulation can only happen when the receiving EU country complies with international conventions and human rights.

"We have already seen that the Dublin Regulation is in fact suspended in relation to Greece, where the asylum system has collapsed, and the same thing could happen in Italy and other countries along the EU borders - without responsibility-sharing, it's hard to imagine that common standards can be implemented effectively, "says Andreas Kamm.

Read recommendations for the Danish EU presidency from the European Council on Refugees and Exiles

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